Small changes make a house more homely

First-time buyers (FTBs) on a budget can 'make their home their own' by investing in a little home decorating.

First-time buyers (FTBs) on a budget can 'make their home their own' by investing in a little home decorating.

Once a property has been bought there is often little money left to make the changes that many buyers would like to make.

However, TV personality and designer George Bond says that homeowners do need to spend huge amounts of money on big renovations to make a house feel like a home.

"The first place to start is to make the home your own; decorate walls with colours and patterns you are comfortable with," he advised.

"Paint one wall your favourite colour and make it the focal point of a room. Once the walls of your home have been decorated to suit your personality, the house will come into its own."

Small changes can be used as a stopgap until the money has been saved to make larger alterations.

In the meantime, the homeowner can feel comfortable and more at home in the property, without constantly being reminded that there are changes which they want to make.

A recent study by the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors revealed that the average low income FTB couple needs to save 96 per cent of their take-home income in order to stump up for the upfront costs of a house, leaving little spare cash for renovation.